Sagiro’s Story Hour, Part 270
Family History
Kibi glances over his shoulder. “Can my friends come too?”
“They’d better,” says Cranchus.
Dranko looks up nervously at the emerald eye of the enormous Elemental, which is now once again keeping watch from the ceiling.
“Can we kill that thing, please?” he asks.
“Kill Rumbler?” exclaims Cranchus, affronted. “No!” The earthy dwarf strokes his beard. “You were doing a decent job at it, though. I’ll have to make a bigger one.”
“That seems completely unnecessary,” says Grey Wolf.
“Couldn’t you just make the eyes, and leave the rest out?” Dranko suggests.
“I require a guardian,” says Cranchus. “There’s only one other Earth Mage I know of on this entire world – present company excepted – who might be able to find me here... and I do not want that to happen!”
“His name’s not Parthol Runecarver, is it?” asks Dranko.
“No. His name is Condor. He works for the Emperor.”
This elicits a chorus of “Oohhhhhhh” from the Company. So Condor wasn’t just a run-of-the-mill powerful servant of the Emperor. He was... is... an Earth Mage, which explains his ability to construct the Mirrors of Semek.
“And thus, the Eyes of Moirel,” says Aravis, understanding.
As the Company follows Cranchus through the doorway in the huge flat wall, Dranko casts one last longing glance upward.
“I’d be willing to trade one of my eyes for one of his.”
Morningstar shakes her head.
The party finds itself in a more moderately-sized cavern. From this side, the large wall is translucent, serving the function of a one-way mirror. There is a glowing stone pedestal, like a podium, that Cranchus could use to observe any activity in the huge hall beyond.
“You could have called off your elemental any time you wanted!” exclaims Kibi, though he tries not to sound too accusatory.
“I wasn’t watching,” says Cranchus. “I was... busy. I came as soon as I became aware of the commotion – and certainly saw something I didn’t expect.”
“We’re sorry to disturb you,” says Aravis humbly. “But it’s our belief that we need your help to get back to where we belong.”
“Umm... I hate to interrupt,” says Snokas gruffly. “But before we get to talking, could I get some healing? I’m no cleric, but I think my ribs are usually on the inside.”
A flurry of healing follows. When all are feeling better, Cranchus causes stone chairs to form, rising out of the ground from a simple gesture. Kibi whistles under his breath and sits down in a chair opposite Cranchus. The rest make themselves comfortable. Dranko lights up a cigar.
In his overwhelmed excitement, Kibi hardly knows where to begin. “I like your translucent rock wall,” he says with a slight stammer.
“Thank you,” says Cranchus, bowing his head. His voice rumbles deeply, as if there are stones in his throat. Which there are.
“You must be quite curious about us,” says Kibi.
Cranchus nods. “What I most want to know is, how is it that I haven’t noticed you before now?”
“We’re from the future,” explains Kibi. “About two thousand years, we think.”
Cranchus leans forward, eyes glittering like gemstones. (And maybe they are gemstones... it’s hard to be sure.) “So, you figured it out! Time travel! You’ll have to teach me. It’s only been a theory until now.”
“We didn’t actually do it ourselves,” Kibi admits. “We traveled with the assistance of some wild magic items.”
“Made by Condor,” adds Ernie.
“Do you know anything about the Eyes of Moirel?” asks Kibi. “And the Standing Stones?”
“You mean Condor’s Plinths?” asks Cranchus. “Yes. I know of them. But... time travel...”
“We don’t want to do things here that will mess up our future,” says Kibi, startled into remembering the dangers. “We came back to set that future back to the way it used to be. Whatever we tell you, please don’t tell anyone.”
“I think that the future will take things into account,” says Cranchus, leaning back in his stone chair. “Maybe the very fact of you telling me things is necessary for setting the future to the way you know it.”
“How old are you, if you don’t mind me asking?” asks Dranko.
“I’m one hundred thirteen years old.”
“You’re going to live at least another 1700, 1800 years,” says Dranko.
“I intend to,” Cranchus says with a smile.
The Company spends another couple of minutes trying to decide what to reveal about themselves, but in the end they decide to place their full trust in Cranchus, and tell him everything – what happened on their own world, how the Sharshun changed the past, their quest into Het Branoi to find an Eye of Moirel, and their journey back in time to stop Inivane from warning the Emperor about his eventual defeat.
“And in accomplishing all of this,” finishes Aravis, “the Eyes have broken. We have no way to return home.”
“And we must,” adds Morningstar. “My goddess has said specifically we shouldn’t be here.”
Cranchus has listened to the tale with unwavering interest. When the Company has finished the account, he asks to see one of the cracked Eyes, and Kibi hands one over without hesitation. Cranchus studies it carefully, turning it over and over in his stony hands.
“Explain to me again,” he says, running his fingers over the Eye, “when you traveled back in time... this belt of yours, Ernest... describe it.”
“Well,” says Ernie. “It was a plain gold band, a circle, that...”
Cranchus finishes his sentence. “...that had rounded edges, and a hinge so smooth and subtle that it looked solid and unbroken when closed. It had the faintest glow about it, though it would shed no light in a dark place. And when wearing it you felt solid, stable, as if it anchored you to reality. And yet... I’ve never given one away. They’re all still here, in my workshop, except for...”
He trails off. Ernie hardly knows what to say. Cranchus has perfectly described the Wilburforce Ring.
“What do they do?” asks Dranko. “The rings?”
“They attempt to stabilize,” answers Cranchus. “Wild Magic is inherently entropic. Chaotic. Causes things to fly apart.” He looks sad for a moment, then shakes his head before continuing. “But you would need one, I imagine... I have explored time travel, you know. Condor was trying it, I could tell, with those big rocks of his. But until today, I was sure they didn’t work. The Emperor was sure, too. Condor’s Plinths. But I have some theories of my own I want to test.”
“If it involves putting Kibi into a giant Mechanical Device, we’ll pass,” says Dranko.
Cranchus gestures, and another stone pedestal rises up from the floor in front of him. On it he has the Company place all of the broken Eyes of Moirel, as well as Inivane’s gartine crown by which his own three Eyes were transfixed.
“They’re smart – sentient,” warns Morningstar. “They have distinct personalities, when they’re not broken.”
“We have an item that can affect time and planes,” adds Aravis. “In here.” He taps his head. “The person I got it from was part of an order that knew how to use it to move through time. But that was very dangerous, and drove people mad. You may use it if you wish.”
“I’ll keep it in mind,” says Cranchus, “but I’m not sure how I’d study it, in a way that wouldn’t be harmful to you.”
“Are you married?” asks Kibi. He’s eager to find out more about Cranchus’s family, of which more and more he suspects he is a part. “Do you have any children?”
“I was married.” says Cranchus.
“And something horrible happened because of the wild mag...” says Dranko,
“Yes, yes, something horrible happened,” says Cranchus testily, cutting him off.
“I’m sorry,” says Dranko, responding to an elbow from Ernie.
“I’m not blaming you. I just... yes, I was married once. My wife was also my apprentice. There was an accident. She died.”
There are condolences given all around, and then a moment of awkward silence.
“Was your wife an Earth Mage?” asks Kibi.
“She was, yes. You think I’m related to you somehow, don’t you?” asks Cranchus, smiling.
“Well, I think one of the Eyes of Moirel here referred to you as my grandfather,” says Kibi. “It sounded like it knew you.”
“But I hadn’t met... ah, but I have now.” He looks at the Eyes of Moirel, eyebrows raised. “Well then,” Cranchus continues, “tell me about your mother.”
“I don’t know that much about where she’s from. Her village was attacked by orcs, and she was the only one who survived. My father found her in the ruins of the village, with no clear memories of what had happened or how she had survived. He brought her back to Eggemoggin with him. And she was wearing a gold circlet, like the one you described.”
“She was?” asks Cranchus sharply. “But...”
His face darkens, as he works out the puzzle in his mind.
“Tell me,” he says after a minute. “What was your mother’s name?”
“Her name is Gela,” says Kibi.
Cranchus goes pale. “When?” he asks urgently. “When was she discovered? And where? Be specific! The day... what day was it?”
“Well, I wasn’t born yet...”
“But your father must have told you,” presses Cranchus. “Think! On what day was she found?”
Kibi thinks hard. “Oh, now I remember. It was the second day of October, in 1765. It was the first night of the full moon, which helped the rescue team find her. Does... does that mean anything to you?”
“No, not yet. I suppose that... here, follow me.”
Cranchus walks swiftly to the opposite wall from the one-way stone window and gestures open a door with stone shape. He walks through, and beckons Kibi and the others to follow.
Beyond that doorway Cranchus leads the Company through a complex of caves, though the interconnectivity only comes about when the old Earth Mage opens temporary doorways with his stone shape ability. Most of the caves are rich with gems, and sometimes the Company hears sounds like distant picks hammering against stone.
“Who’s that?” asks Dranko.
“Unseen Servants,” answers Cranchus.
“They can do that?”
“Mine can.”
Many of the caves are littered with tools, and tables covered in various experimental endeavors. One cavern has a number of iron cauldrons filled with lava. Another has baskets overflowing with perfectly round stones. There is also a constant traffic of small earth elementals going to and fro on errands, many transporting gems from cave to cave.
“What a wonderful place you have!” exclaims Kibi, enchanted. Cranchus smiles and winks, as he opens a new doorway into yet another room. This one has a large mirror in its center, surrounded by sharp arrow-shaped crystals pointing inward. Beams of light are shining at the mirror, which itself is glowing.
“Don’t touch,” he warns.
“What’s it for?” asks Dranko.
“Scrying. I can’t leave this place, so that’s how I keep track of what’s going on out in the world.”
“How come you can’t leave?” Dranko presses.
Aravis ventures a guess. “If he does, Condor will find him?”
“There are number of reasons, and that’s one of the best,” says Cranchus. “Also, the Earth has told me not leave. It would be dangerous for anyone to be around me if I left this sanctuary.”
The next chamber is filled with stone workbenches, and on many of these are metal circlets obviously akin to the one Ernie had been wearing for so long. There are over thirty of the things, varying slightly in size and precise alloy but otherwise similar.
“These are all my attempts to find a proper stabilizing influence -- things to make my work less dangerous,” explains Cranchus. “But Kibi, what I want to show you is through here.”
He gestures to a wall, and yet another doorway opens up. Cranchus motions Kibi to go inside.
Kibi finds himself in a tall conical chamber, thirty feet around at ground level and tapering to a point some sixty feet in the air. Silvery metal scaffolding is built up in the center of the cone, and hovering inside that metal latticework is...
Kibi gasps. “Mother?”
Gela dun Bim is younger than Kibi has ever seen her, but it’s her, there can be no doubt. And over her head, like a halo, is a golden circlet exactly like the one kept on the mantelpiece in Kibi’s home back in Eggemoggin.
“Is she awake?” whispers Kibi.
“No.”
“Is she... natural?”
“Yes. She’s my daughter. She survived the accident... barely. She was infused with Wild Magic that should have torn her apart, but I was able to... stabilize her. That was twenty-one years ago.”
“Is she aging now?” asks Kibi.
“No, she’s in stasis. I hope the circlet will stabilize her, and I will be able to release her. But I’ve always known that it could take centuries, if it ever happens. The combination of that ring, and the gartine scaffold around her, is keeping her in perfect, timeless health. Though, even when the day comes that she has recovered from the accident, she’ll have to keep the stabilizing circlet with her at all times.”
Kibi gulps. “We thought we needed it to go nowhere, so we took it.”
“You did?!” asks Cranchus in alarm.
“Yes, but it always returned to her, if it got too far away.”
Cranchus strokes his beard and chuckles. “Well then. I guess I’d better enchant it so that it does just that!”
He turns to regard Kibi, who cannot take his eyes from his young mother.
“Kibi... it’s an honor to meet my grandson.”
He pulls Kibi into a bear-hug embrace.
...to be continued...
